What EQ mount to buy?

Dave47tuc (David) · #1 08-07-2006, 05:22 PM

Ok here some fun, but is serious also. I’m looking for a new EQ mount and would like your thoughts. The scope I use is a 6” Mak. Not very big but heavy.
It rode on top of an EQ5 no problems.
May upgrade in years to come. C11 at most.

So I need opinions of owners of the different type of EQ mounts. How good are they REALLY!! (Pm me if you don’t want to post publicly)

Knowing I have had a Dob with Argo Navis. Also a LX200 and a Meade LXD55.
Meaning I know how to set a scope up. Most people find that they input the wrong information that’s why they have problems early with there mounts.

Mount needs to be reasonably portable and able to be lifted by one person, just for backyard moving around.
But to be broken down for car travel. Is yours easy to do this?

How good are your “Go To’s”?? How well does it track? Will Jupiter stay in field of view in a 10mm Ep for many hours? My old lx 200 could do this!!
Does the scope crash at any time. Meaning it won’t slew or just won’t work.
Does it set up well one night but not the next?
Do you have Argo on an EQ6? Do you like this set up?

So are you happy with your mount ? If not Pm me I think!!
If you are let us know why?

Thanks your information will help.
Oh a budget $0 to 2.5k. If you think a cheap mount would be good let me know why!

leon · #2 08-07-2006, 05:24 PM

Hey Dave if got a couple you can buy....

Leon

[1ponders] (Paul) · #3 08-07-2006, 06:18 PM

What....no Losmandy

+ AN

Seriously though

I've used LX75, Losmandy G11 with Gemini (regularly), GM8 and G11 with AN, and for portability I love my GM8 and G11 with AN. But if G11 is no go then EQ6 and AN

beren · #4 08-07-2006, 06:20 PM

Timely post Dave , Im considering an EQ mount so potential disscussion on pros and cons will be good . Im tempted by the celestron ASTcg5 goto mount going for a grand at Andrews {one with flash memory a added 200 bucks}....I saw one last month at a club meet .

Astroman (Andrew Wall) · #5 08-07-2006, 06:26 PM

HI Dave,

Although not an owner yet, I hope I am not out of line here...

I have done a fair amount of research into what mount to get myself, which is the EQ6 with Synscan. A few things that pushed me towards this mount these are, the load capacity, although the figures state 40lb weight limits it has been proven to take a little more, in some cases up to 50lb. Although typically these values would only be good enough for visual use, and also the tube length has a great deal of say in it too.

Pointing accuracy is only as good as the polar alignment and the stars you use for aligning with, many opt for just a one star alignment close to the object you want to view and then goto it from there, the accuracy is said to be very good to excellent.

Tracking, well I havent heard many complaints about its ability to track, although that said typical periodic error I am lead to belive is around 11 to 18 arcseconds peak to peak. With some mounts better. Older mounts without the synscan controller do suffer in this field.

Depending on what you wish to use it for the eq6 will handle the Mak OTA no worries at all, as long as you have a suitable dovetail, I didnt like the look of the one that came with the EQ6 so I have organised to have one made up for me later in the year.

All the other mounts that you have mentioned do have their pro's and con's too. I steered away from the sphinx it just didnt look like it could handle the weights (over 30lb for me) The HEQ5 is a very capable mount with its load limits of around 25lb but also limited with weights. As for the others I am unsure, it was suggested to me to get a CG-5, but the limits also put me off.

At around $2300 for the EQ6 with Synscan and a 40+lb load limit you can go wrong. Check out the yahoo group on the eq6 too, loads of info there. http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/eq6

good luck with your choice.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #6 08-07-2006, 06:31 PM

Maybe even go that one step further and consider the EQ6 Pro!

Lester · #7 08-07-2006, 06:39 PM

If an EQ6 is the most stable of the lot I would go for it. Don't skimp on the mount. If you over kill with the mount you will not be sorry and it will last you a life time. Got my G.E.Q. mount in 1980 for $1200.00 = 2" solid SS shaft on both axis and is very stable. Would like to fit an Argo Navis one day to make finding DSO easier.

Nothing more frustrating, and capable of killing off your astro enthusiasm, than a flimsy, wobbley mount.

Dave47tuc (David) · #8 08-07-2006, 07:34 PM

Good replies so far

Yes Stuart I'm glad you thought the thread a good one. I was so close to buying a LXD75 today

But i did not

Paul the Losmandy mounts are out of my price range. BUT the G8 with no DSC is very close

I understand the a scope can not be over mounted so to speak. I hate wobbly mounts big time.

Two mounts high on the list is a Orion Atlas EQ-G mount or a HEQ5 Pro (white one) The only reason not to go for the HEQ5 is if I get a 11"sct in the future it may not habdle it

I hope this thread does create much discussion, as we seem to wrorry about OTA rather than mounts. And my OTA is just fine.

Andrew are you 100% happy with the SkyScan?

Keep it coming

Astroman (Andrew Wall) · #9 08-07-2006, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave47tuc

Andrew are you 100% happy with the SkyScan?

I would love to get something with a bit more carrying power but unfortunately they fall out of my price range so for weight handling V's money, I am 100% happy with my decision.

I am hoping to get the EQ6 Pro (white version)

Starkler (Geoff) · #10 08-07-2006, 08:40 PM

Dave since this is all about mounts, can I ask why you sold your eq5 ? Wasnt it up to handling the mak ?

g__day (Matthew) · #11 08-07-2006, 09:07 PM

I posted this guide here quite awhile ago, can't find it here, but for a guide to goto mounts read:

http://www.astronomyonline.com.au/De...37&scope=posts

A C11 is 13Kg, so your options are EQ6, Sphinx just, CG5 just - both are right on the limit, so no accessories!

The EQ5 is out, as is the Meade.

The Vixen Sphinx has a Periodic error correction of +/- 11 arc seconds to the EQ6 +/-25!

If you're maxing out on a C9.25 I'd say the Sphinx, unfortunately on the C11 I'd say the EQ6 as there is too much weight with accessories to do astrophotography, which is what the Sphinx is perfectly suited to.

Dave47tuc (David) · #12 08-07-2006, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starkler

Dave since this is all about mounts, can I ask why you sold your eq5 ? Wasnt it up to handling the mak ?

Yep it did very well. But I want to spice the nights observing up with "Go TO" or DSC.

Stuart, what impressed you about the Celestron G5 mount at your club meet?

g_day
a bigger scope is a few years down the track at best. The Mak, will be with me for a long time. I like the Sphinx and it would sit on my wooden tripod just nicely.

Astroman (Andrew Wall) · #13 08-07-2006, 09:23 PM

Here is a page on the PE of the EQ6 of course this does vary slightly per mount.

http://www.sfu.ca/~dmunro/petest.html

g_day: not sure where you got your +/-25 from?

h0ughy (David) · #14 08-07-2006, 09:35 PM

eq6 bang for bucks, the handcontroller isnt much to go by, but with a new updatable model coming out it may be worth your while. Dont let the fact that I have two sway you at all. but if you are more serious then go to the gm8 or the gm11

Harpspitfire · #15 08-07-2006, 09:39 PM

i got the ASGT and could use a little more beef , so i voted HEQ5 pro series, only reason for not the the EQ6 was the weight issue- however im still concerened about PE in ANY of these mounts- i still cant find any indepth reviews for photowork on the HEQ5 pro series- are there any? john

g__day (Matthew) · #16 09-07-2006, 12:00 AM

Astroman - PEC test results on EQ6

http://demeautis.christophe.free.fr/ep/eq6.htm

and the rest of popular mounts here http://demeautis.christophe.free.fr/ep/pe.htm

Dave - If the C11 is only a vague future possibility then don't be limited by it in setting your priorities for today. If you have to purchase just for today, I'd classify the choices as

Best Value - Celestron CG5 (Which I use as of 3 weeks ago and can be remote PC controlled)
Best Weight Management + PEC capabilities - EQ6
Best PEC - Vixen Sphinx (can the controller be remote PC controlled for this?)

The rest are compromises between these outliers. The Meade gets a few critical (upset) comments from folk in the USA, however it will interface well with Meade's excellent, but very proprietary imaging and scope control software. I have yet to get an emulator to Link Meade's AutoStar suite to Celestron's CG5 controller successfully.

acropolite (Phil) · #17 09-07-2006, 01:34 PM

Like Stuart, I'm also interested in the CG5 mount, simply as a platform for the ED80 for astrophotography. Does anyone have any feedback on how the CG5 performs, particularly accuracy and guiding capability. At $1K for go-to it is very affordable and payload isn't always the deciding factor. One would imagine that since they're sold with the 9.25 OTA that they would have reasonable carrying capacity and being smaller that the EQ6 would be much easier to lift.

Edit: Part answer to my question can be found in this cloudy nights review and quite a bit of discussion in this thread

astronut (John) · #18 09-07-2006, 01:49 PM

Hi Dave, A close friend in my astro club has been through all the different size EQ mounts and size of scope.
With each set up he's always commented on the need for a more stable mount. He's finally settled on a EQ6 ( massive mount) and a 12" GSO.
This mount could hold the Rock of Gibraltor. Extremely stable and about $1600. + another $800 for the goto.
It's definately not a grab n go kit.

EzyStyles (Eric) · #19 09-07-2006, 03:11 PM

Hi Dave. I had trouble first deciding what EQ mount to buy but in the end the EQ6 is definitely the way to go. Especially if you decide to upgrade the OTA in the future.

Starkler (Geoff) · #20 09-07-2006, 06:46 PM

Does the eq6 qualify as portable ?